Izmir has a higher pop. than Adana and also borders the Mediterranean. Izmir lies on the Aegean, which is a part of the Mediterranean. Whether or not Istanbul counts too is a whole other can of worms. The question should just be replaced with something more clear-cut.
Got everything but sort of cheated on Adana because I looked at a map just to make sure that I had already named every big city on the southern coast (I had, they are Mersin, Antalya, Alanya, Marmaris) and I wanted to see what I was missing. Even though Adana is 50 km away from the coast, I started trying cities that were in the interior of Turkey starting with Gaziantep and then Adana was the 2nd one so I got it. But.... it's not really on the coast, is it? I think the true answer in Antalya or Mersin.
Actually, they are. You are probably confusing districts (ilçe in Turkish) and cities.
To illustrate, the city of New York is different than the state of New York.
Likewise, although there is a district in Antalya Province named Alanya, it comprises of the city proper and the surrounding area (including uninhabited areas like forests and smaller settlements like villages).
In addition, Marmaris is a city of Muğla Province. The province was named after its capital city Muğla. (By using the word 'capital city,' I mean the administrative center of the province, nor the national capital which is Ankara.) However, the largest settlement of this province is Bodrum (ancient Halicarnassus and the later Petronium) which has a population twice the size of Muğla's.
I totally agree. In Antiquity, Gallipoli Peninsula was known as the 'Thracian Peninsula' (Thracian Chersonese in Ancient Greek) and it only constitutes a small part of European Turkey.
The answer can be changed with the Balkan Peninsula which is a more accurate response.
To illustrate, the city of New York is different than the state of New York.
Likewise, although there is a district in Antalya Province named Alanya, it comprises of the city proper and the surrounding area (including uninhabited areas like forests and smaller settlements like villages).
In addition, Marmaris is a city of Muğla Province. The province was named after its capital city Muğla. (By using the word 'capital city,' I mean the administrative center of the province, nor the national capital which is Ankara.) However, the largest settlement of this province is Bodrum (ancient Halicarnassus and the later Petronium) which has a population twice the size of Muğla's.
The answer can be changed with the Balkan Peninsula which is a more accurate response.